The Third Hokage

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The Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire was hailed as the strongest ninja village in the shinobi world. As the victor of the three Great Ninja Wars, its reputation was unparalleled, and it was known to all corners of the shinobi nations. Despite the recent decline in its power due to the departure of the Legendary Sannin, the sacrifice of the Fourth Hokage, and the tragic fall of the Uchiha clan, no other village dared to underestimate Konoha. Even in its weakened state, the mere mention of the village's name still carried an undeniable weight of fear and respect.

At this moment, within the Hokage's office in the towering Hokage building, two figures knelt respectfully on one knee before the desk. Standing tall yet solemn, they awaited further instructions from their leader. Behind the desk sat a diminutive old man with snow-white hair.

Clad in the traditional red-and-white robes of the Hokage, his face bore the marks of countless years—wrinkles etched deep into his skin, liver spots dotting his cheeks. Yet, every so often, a fleeting spark of sharpness would flash across his otherwise cloudy eyes, hinting at the immense wisdom and strength that lay beneath the frail exterior.

This man was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage—the current ruler of Konoha and its nominal supreme leader. Known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," he had earned his title through decades of unparalleled mastery over countless techniques. He was also the longest-serving Hokage in Konoha's history, having dedicated nearly his entire life to the prosperity and safety of the village. His reputation among the villagers was nothing short of legendary.

The elderly Hokage sat quietly, listening intently to the report being delivered by Kurenai Yuhi and Might Guy. Ordinarily, such routine missions did not require direct reporting to the Hokage; with hundreds—if not thousands—of missions beginning or concluding daily, it was simply impossible for him to personally oversee each one. Only missions of significant importance warranted a personal debriefing to the Hokage.

What started as a straightforward B-rank escort and protection mission for Kurenai and Guy had unexpectedly uncovered something unusual—something worthy of the Hokage's attention.

"Uchiha shuriken techniques?!" At the mention of the Uchiha clan during their report, Hiruzen's pupils contracted slightly, betraying a flicker of surprise.

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Kurenai confirmed, her voice steady and resolute. "It was unmistakably an Uchiha-style shuriken technique. Back when we were still genin, one of our peers—an Uchiha—demonstrated this exact method. Though the trajectory of the shurikens seemed slightly altered, the throwing technique itself was identical. Based on this observation, we suspect there may be some connection between the individual we encountered and the Uchiha clan."

Upon hearing Kurenai's words, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his expression contemplative. While Kurenai's deduction stemmed from limited knowledge of the Uchiha clan, Hiruzen immediately pieced together the truth. There could be no doubt—the mysterious bounty hunter named "Muu" possessed ties to the Uchiha clan!

Kurenai and Guy's understanding of the Uchiha clan was superficial at best, but as the Hokage, Hiruzen's insights ran far deeper. From their description of Muu's combat prowess, particularly the lethal precision of his shuriken jutsu, Hiruzen concluded that the young man must have been a prodigy even among the Uchiha—a clan renowned for its exceptional skill in ninjutsu.

To execute the Uchiha clan's unique shuriken techniques flawlessly required more than just talent—it demanded mastery of the Sharingan, specifically at least a two-tomoe level. Unlike ordinary shuriken techniques, those employed by the Uchiha relied heavily on extraordinary dynamic vision and predictive abilities to calculate complex trajectories. Ordinary shinobi, regardless of their skills, could never replicate such feats—not even members of the Hyuga clan, whose Byakugan offered unparalleled insight into chakra pathways and anatomical structures.

While the Byakugan excelled in reconnaissance, allowing users to see through solid objects and track the flow of chakra within living beings, it fell short in terms of reaction speed and predictive capabilities. In contrast, the Sharingan granted its wielders the ability to perceive minute movements, anticipate opponents' actions, and even copy non-bloodline jutsu. This made the Sharingan vastly superior in scenarios requiring split-second decisions and adaptability.

Regardless of whether Muu truly belonged to the Uchiha clan, one fact remained certain: he possessed a fully functional Sharingan. However, given the strict protocols surrounding the Uchiha bloodline, acquiring a Sharingan outside the clan was virtually impossible. Each member who awakened their Sharingan was meticulously documented, and upon death, their bodies were retrieved and cremated to prevent outsiders from claiming their eyes. Should enemies attempt to forcibly extract a Sharingan during battle, Uchiha warriors were trained to self-destruct their own eyes rather than allow them to fall into enemy hands.

Throughout the three Great Ninja Wars, no village had successfully obtained a Sharingan. If such an event had occurred, both Konoha and the Uchiha clan would undoubtedly have been aware of it. With the Uchiha clan now extinct, save for Itachi—who had defected—and Sasuke—who remained under constant supervision within the village—the possibilities narrowed considerably.

Based on Kurenai's report, Muu appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, roughly the same age as Itachi Uchiha. Could it be...?

"Itachi?" Hiruzen mused silently, only to dismiss the thought moments later. "No, Itachi has been keeping tabs on that organization. Besides, his personality wouldn't align with becoming a bounty hunter."

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, interrupting Hiruzen's train of thought. "Enter," he called out calmly. A chūnin entered the room, bowing respectfully before approaching the desk.

Turning his attention back to Kurenai and Guy, Hiruzen smiled warmly. "Thank you, Guy and Kurenai, for your hard work. I've taken note of the situation. You're dismissed—please take some time to rest."

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Both Kurenai and Guy bowed deeply before rising and exiting the office, leaving Hiruzen alone with his thoughts once more.